Cotton-seed separator.



No. 871,115. PATENTED NOV. 19, 1907. M. M. EDWARDS. COTTON SEED SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILED BEETJE, 1906. y

MONTIEVILLE M. EDWARDS, OF ABBOTT, TEXAS.

COTTON-SEED SEPARATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nev. 19, 1907.

Application tiled September 15. 1906. Serial No. 334,731.

T0 /LZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MoNTrEvrLLE 111. EnwARDs,'a citizen ot the United States, residing at Abbott, in the county ot Hill and State ot Texas, have invented a new and usetul Cotton-Seed Separator, ot which the tollowing is a specification.

The invention relates to a cotton seed separator.

.The object ot the present invention is to improve the construction ot sitting machines, and to provide a simple, inexpensive and etticient machine adapted tor sitting and separating cotton seed to enable the large and small seed to be sold or otherwise disposed ot separately, whereby the value ot the seed is greatly enhanced.

A further object ot the invention is to provide a cotton seed sitting machine, adapted to be operated by the wind, and capable ot being readily moved trom one place to another, so as to be operated in doors by hand or other power, when the weather is not suitable tor operating the machine out doors.

With these and other objects in view, the inventionV consists in the construction and novel combination ot parts hereinatter tully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended it being understood that vari ous changes in the term, proportion, size and minor details ot construction, within the scope ot the claims, may be resorted to without departing trom the spirit or sacrificing any ot the advantages ot the invention.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a perspective view ot a cotton seed separator, constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view ot the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view ot the sitter. Fig. 4 is an end view of the same.

Like numerals ot reterence designate corresponding parts in all the figures ot the drawing. l

1 designates a vibratory sitter ot oblong term, composed ot side and lend walls and a bottom or sieve 2, which is preferably con structedl ot suitable sheet metal, and which is provided at opposite sides ot the median line with .transversely disposed parallel openings 3. The openings 3, which are oblong, are oi' a size to permit the small cotton seed to passy through the sieve, which is adapted to retain the large cotton seed within the sitter.

These narrow slots or openings 3 extend substantially across the side portions ot the sieve, but terminate short ot the median line and the side walls ot the sieve, and they torni intervening transverse slats 2l and longitudinally disposed central and side connecting portions 3 and 4a, which have their upper taces arranged in the same plane to enable the sitter to present a smooth upper tace to the material, so as not to interfere with the tree passage ot the same over the sieve. The sides and end wall may be constructed ot any suitable material, and the sitter is provided at its rear end with an end gate 4, connected at the top by hinges 5 with a transverse end bar or section 6 and provided at its lower edge with a suitable catch or latch 7, having a spring actuated bolt tor engaging a keeper S ot a transverse bottom bar or piece 9, whereby the en d gate is locked in its closed position. l/Vhen the end gate is unlatched, it is automatically opened by means ot a coiled spring 10, arranged on the exterior ot the sitter and connected with the end gate and with the up per transverse bar or section 6. 'lhe coiled spring 1() is placed under tension by closing the end gate, and it automatically swings the latter upwardly when the same is tree to move. The gate is opened to enable the sitted seed either to run out or to be shaken out by the vibration oi' the sitter.

The sitter is suspended within a trame 11 by means ot front side links 12 and a centrally arranged rear link 13, and it is vibrated by a crank shaft 14. The traine 11 is provided with top and bottoni side bars 15 and 16 and it has intermediate and end posts or uprights 17, 1S, and 1.9, which are secured to the side bars, and which are connected by suitable cross bars or pieces. The intermediate posts or uprights 17 and the end posts or uprights 19 are extended above the to i side bars 15 to torni supports tor the oscil latory links 12 and 13. The links 12 preterably consist ot leather straps, provided with upper and lower snap hooks 20 and 21, which are linked into suitable eyes ot the posts or uprights 17 and the sides ot the sitter. The end posts or uprights 19 are connected at their upper terminals by a top transverse bar 22, provided with a central slot 23, in which is arranged a plate or member 24. The link 13, which is preterably constructed ot metal, is provided atits ends'with eyes, which are linked into an eye 25 ot the plate or member 24 and an eye 26 ot the rear end ot the sitter. The late or member 24,

A ,which is vertically a justable, is connected at its up er end to an adjusting lever 27, tulcrume at an intermediate point on a bracket 28 and adapted to be oscillated to raise and lower the plate or member 24. The bracket is provided with a toothed segment 28a, which is engaged by a spring actuated dog or detent 27ZL ot the lever, whereby the latter is locked at any adjustment. The plate. 24 is adapted to be adjusted toarrange the sitter in the proper position tor ettective sitting, and it isv capable otl lowering the rear end ot the sitter, 'so that the vibratory motion ot the latter will operate to eject or discharge the sitted seed into a suitable receptacle. A

A suitable receptacle may be placed beneath the sitter to receive the Small cotton seed, and inorder to prevent the seed-trom mixing when emptying the sitter, a flexible transverse shield 29 ot suitable fabric is ar.- ranged at the rear end ot the machine, being secured at its upper edge 30 to the sitter at the bottom thereof and connected at its lower edge with the bottom ot the trame 1l. j Thelower edge ot the shield may be Xed in any suitable manner, and as shown in Figs. l and 2 ot the drawing, the lower edge ot the screen 29 is provided with a casing or hem- 30a, in which is arranged a transverse rung or bar 31 ot the trame 1l.

The tront end ot the sitter is connected by a rod or bar 32 with a crank bend 3310i2 the shatt 14, which is journaled invsuitable bearings ot the sides ot the trame and which, when rotated, vibrates the sitter. The shaft is provided at one end with a crank handle 34, and a wind-wheel 35 is detachably secured to the other end ot the shaft. The machine is designed particularly tor use out doors and is placed facing the wind, so that the wind-wheel will operate the machine, but the latter may be operated in doors by hand or by any other suitable means.

Having thus tully described my invention,

what I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a machine ot the class described, the

combination ot a trame having spaced sides and provided at the bottom with a transverse member located at the rear end ot the machine, a vibratory sitter having tront and side walls and provided with a rear end gate hinged at thetop and arranged to open at the bottom, a flexible transverse shield eX- tending across the rear end of the trame and secured at its 'lower tree edge to the said transverse member and connected at its upper edge with the bottom ot the sitter adjacent to the lower edge ot the end gate, an adjusting lever disposedtransversely ot the trame and connected with the rear end ot the sitter adjacent to the hinged edge ot the end gate tor raising and lowering the said sitter, and means tor securing the lever in its adjustment.

2. In a machine ot the class described, the combination ot a vibratory sitter provided at one end-with an end gate hinged at the top and provided at the bottom with a tastening device, and a coiled springy connected with the end gate tor automatically opening the same when the said end gate is tree to swing upwardly.

3. In a machine ot the class described, the combination ot a, trame, a vibratory body, operating' mechanism connected with one end ot the body tor actuating the same, a vertically adjustable plate or member connected with the other end ot the body, an adjusting lever' mounted on the trame and connected with the plate or member tor rais.- ing and lowering the'same, and means tor securing the-lever in its adjustment.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as 

